Miranda Eaton
President Miranda Eaton, MHC is the 25th President of the United Federation of Saydney and is the first women to hold the office. President Eaton is the first French Saydneyan to hold the position since 1916. Early Life Miranda Michelle Baptiste was born in 1959 at the St Lawrence hospital in Lousiton. Her father owned and operated a small market store on the outskirts of Louiston while her mother was a homaker. Miranda attend Riverside Highschool where she graduated in top of her class in 1976. Reciving a fully funded scholarship to Louiston Collge, Miranda choose to undertake law where she studied from 1976 to 1980. It was at college the Miranda became active in polictics in the local Democratic club at her campus. Miranda inate abilties and chraisma propelled to become not only President of the Democratic club but Vice-President of the Student Representattive Council in 1978 and the Chair of the Louiston Student Services Union in 1979. It was also while she was at college she met Jacob Eaton. The two were sparring partners during her tenure as Vice-President of the SRC as Jacob was activly involved with the Liberal Party and was also a student representative. Despite their political difference the two began a relationship through out their time at college, eventually marrying in 1981. During her time at college Miranda gained employment from the law firm Burney and Associates, a well known corporate law firm with clients from across Saydney and South America. The firm was so imprssed with Miranda's work ethic and understanding of the law that when she graduated, she was immediatle employed by the firm as an associate. In 1983 Miranda was promoted to senior associate with the law firm. In 1982 Miranda went back to school to complete her masters qualification in law. Her research thesis was entitled Trade Union Litigation through Saydneyan History-a means of workplace reform, she was awarded her masters with suma in 1984. Political Career In late 1986, Miranda who had remained an active member of the SDC, was succsessful in being nominated as a candidtate in the upcoming State election. Miranda at only 27 years of age was one of the youngest women ever to nominated by a major party. In 1987 Miranda left her job with Burney and Associates to concentrate on her campaign for the state election, husband Jacob, now an active member of the democrats, by her side. Her hard work on the campaign trail was immensely popular with the voters and she gained a reputattion as a genuine and honest person. Her constant use of the french language in all her speechs proved to also be a popular point with the French-Saydneyan voters she courted. Her campaign tactics and tenancity payed off although by a slim margin. She was elected as the second SDC candidated in the state congress by a margin of only 112 votes. She served with distinction in the Piedmont parliament, chairing serveral committees including the state congressional standing committee to justice and the standing committe on law reform. Her work on these committee led to her being made state attouney general in 1991, a year out from the upcoming state election, where she would again have to recontest her seat. The State SDC government under Charles Lepidux was in trouble and it was hoped that the fire-brad Miranda Eaton, who was known as a crusader for victims rights and tough on crim measures would prove popular at the ballot box. While Miranda easily won her own battle in the election, the state government was decimated, losing to the United Party. Despite the crippling dedfeat Miranda sore the oppourtunity created by the loss and immediatly annouced her intention to contest the upcoming ballot for state leadership of the SDC against former Lieutenant Governer and Deputy Leader Jaque Rouge. Miranda's challenge was based on the premise that the Piedmont democratic party needed to be revived and refresehed and that needed a new direction which she represented. Once again Miranda message had ressonated with the party and she was elected as the Leader of the State Party. Miranda became known as an effective debater against the new UPS state govenor, Jason Merryman and was a popular SDC leader. In the 1996 election Miranda was not succsessful in winning back government, but did succeed in recapturing a large number of SDC seats from the UPS and Liberal parties and placed the SDC in a winning position for the 2000 election. However Miranda had different plans, after serving as the party leader for five years the 38 year old Miranda annouced plans to contest the 1998 Federal Election as a High Councilor for Piedmont. Immediatly resigning from state parliament, Miranda hit the campaign trail, in support of the young and dynamic Councilor Marc Emerson. Eaton, who was dubious about Emerson's rapid rise through the rank threw her lot in with the Emerson campaign once again realising the prevailing attitude in the community. Once again her impecable skills in reading communinty mood payed off and she was elected to the High Council. Life as a Minister Miranda was immediatly promoted to the junior ministry upon her appointment were she took on the role of Minister for Sport and Tourism, a role that the state attouney general did not relish. However the new President Emerson soon realised the talents of the new Council Member and in 1998 she was promoted to the portfoloio of Employment and Employment services. As a former IR and Employment lawyer Miranda was in her element. In 2002, shortly after the succsessful Election campaign Miranda was again rewarded for her hard work and seemingly unstoppable electoral succsess she was promoted to cabinent as the Minister for Education, Training and Youth Affairs, however she only served in the post until 2003 when Miranda was given a promotion to the post of Foriegn Affairs and Trade to replace long time friend and factional supporter Councilor Blair Hatfield who had moved t to tresurer. First leadership Challenge The Aborted Presidency Rise to Power The Future First Eaton Cabinet Executive Council of Cabinet * Vice-President: Vice-President Tony Martin, MHC (SLP,Piedmont) * Attorney General: Councilor Vivienne Hart, MHC (SDC, Piedmont) * Minister for the Interior: Councilor Samantha Embling, MHC (SDC, Sussex) * Minister for Defence: Councilor Mercedes Lariossa, MHC (SDC, Candarra) * Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade: Councilor Clare St-Marie (SDC, Candarra) * Tresurer: Councilor Roy Wollard, MHC (SDC, Kellmont) Other Cabinet * Education, Training and Youth Affairs: Councilor Blair Hatfield, MHC (SDC, New Spain) * Culture: Councilor Heather McCormick, MHC (SDC, Genara) * Health: Councilor Imogen Cunnigham, MHC (SLP, Sussex) * Communications and Tele-Communications: Councilor Enrique Estivez, MHC (SDC, Kellmont) * Science, Industry and Technology: Councilor Sam Fitzgibbon, MHC (SDC, Genara) * Employment Services and Workplace Relations: Councilor Rick Black, MHC (SLP, Genara) * Imigration, Citizenship, and Indigenous Affairs: Councilor Matt Kenner, MHC (SDC, Genara) * Community Services: Councilor Elizabeth Hernandez, MHC (SDC, Sussex) * Sport: Councilor Oscar Chang, MHC (SLP, New Spain) * Leader of the Government in Congress: Congressman Dr. George Ashton MC (SDC, Rivers) Personal Life Trivia Quotes Publications Trade Union Litigation through Saydneyan History-a means of workplace reform Masters Thesis, Louiston College, 1984 Women in politics-Access to power Article Series, 1994, Louiston Herald. The future of liberal thougt Book, 2003, Penguin Publishing, Lousiton. Category:Individuals